Nintendojo Holiday Buyer’s Guide 2019: The Toys & Collectibles

We’ve got you all covered for software and gear, but what about the fun stuff? Read on to see which toys and collectibles made a splash this year— and which might make you the best gift-giver in your circle of friends and family!

Amiibo

A number of different Amiibo came out this year, and as ever they’re exquisitely crafted and gorgeous to look at. Whether for display or function (or both!), you can’t go wrong with an Amiibo. This year saw the following figurines hit the market:

• Shovel Knight Gold Edition
• Incineroar
• Chrom
• Snake
• Simon
• Link (Link’s Awakening)
• Specter, King, and Plague Knight (triple pack)
• Piranha Plant
• Daisy
• Pokémon Trainer
• Ivysaur
• Squirtle
• Ice Climbers
• King K. Rool
• Ken
• Young Link
• Pichu
• Isabelle

Pokémon Pop!

Pokémon are now part of the Funko Pop! craze with a handful of Pocket Monsters joining the lineup. They’re handsomely made and there are even extra large versions to get hold of, although they’re much harder to come by. These are wonderful stocking stuffers.

Mario Kart Hot Wheels

Mattel’s Hot Wheels line is no stranger to Nintendo, but this new series based on Mario Kart is the next, most obvious evolution of this particular partnership. There are two waves in stores right now, and there are also a number of different racing sets to purchase. The karts are detailed and the tracks are very inventive.

The Game Console (Book)

 

From our Book Club feature:

“Trivial lacunas notwithstanding, The Game Console is a must for anyone curious about the history of the video game industry. Seeing the evolution of gaming hardware, in particular the controllers, is invaluable. Amos’ pictures are beautifully constructed, as is the layout of the book itself. No page is wasted. The large layouts are pleasing to the eye and have a delightful flow to them.”

Metal Slug: The Ultimate History (Book)

Metal Slug, much like a huge chunk of SNK’s library of games, has become a mainstay on Nintendo consoles since the days of Wii and its Virtual Console service. Now, Bitmap Books has release the incredible tome that is Metal Slug: The Ultimate History, which features a ton of insight into how the series was made. The book is gorgeous and the content is a must-read.

Hallmark Nintendo Ornaments (2019)

Hallmark continues to produce these wonderful ornaments based on various Nintendo properties. This year’s lineup is a little vanilla compared to previous batches, but they’re gorgeous, nonetheless, and add some spark to anything they’re hung from. Kudos if you can track down the Mario Kart, Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong arcade cabinet ornaments from last year!

VIZ Nintendo Manga

Publisher VIZ has two ongoing manga based on Nintendo games: Splatoon and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Splatoon skews younger but is still a fun read for anyone of any age. Twilight Princess, however, has a somewhat darker tone and might be more pleasing to longtime Zelda fans who weren’t as taken by the previous manga based on the franchise. Either one is a good choice for readers wanting something a little different!

Mega Man Mastermix Volume 1 (Manga)

UDON has been publishing a bunch of manga and comics based on various video games for years. This latest effort, Mega Man Mastermix, is a colorized version of Hitoshi Ariga’s Mega Man Megamix and Mega Man Gigamix manga from the ’90s. The art looks sublime with Josh Perez’s colors. This is a nice read for anyone who’s a fan of the Blue Bomber!

Jakks Super Mario Toys

Jakks refocused on its Super Mario license for this year’s batch of Nintendo toys, producing the excellent Bowser’s Castle play set (shown above), as well as a number of four-inch and two-inch figurines. There are other novelties like plushes and squishes (think stress balls), and diorama sets that come with multiple toys, all of which can be found at a range of stores including Target and Walgreens. Walgreens is especially worth stopping by as that retailer gets a handful of exclusive variants that can’t be found anywhere else!

Pokémon TCG Tin Poké Ball

There are currently four of these tin Poké Balls to collect: Quick Ball, Poké Ball, Luxury Ball, and Premier Ball are all in the wild. Each tin comes with a handful of Pokémon TCG booster packs and a coin. The only problem with these can be finding one without any dings or dents. Be sure to give any that you might come across a good look before buying! Unless you’re not concerned about such things, naturally.

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That’s it for toys and collectibles! There are countless t-shirts, stuffed animals, and more to be found in countless stores all over the place. What goodies have you discovered this year? Tell us in the comments and online!